Universities and Colleges

Since LPA is a young community, most of the people here are in their late teens or in their twenties. Meaning, they are either going to go college or college application is a not too distant memory for them.
I think I'd be great for us to have a platform which allows us to discuss where and how to apply, what to do, etc and those who have gone through the process can help those who need help.

 

Great idea Aisha, only thing is I'm not too sure how well it might work on here being an international community, the methods of application will probably be very different. We'll see how it goes, though.

My best piece of advice to anyone considering further studies is research. Check out the courses you're interested in, talk to people who are studying them, and go to as many campus open-days as you can.

Over here the system is actually pretty simple, around half way through your final year of high school, you receive a book (bible more like it) of all our state's universities and all the courses they offer. After that we log into a website set up by the universities' managing body and basically just put in a list of up to six preferences, and at the end of the year we receive a letter of offer from our highest preference we actually achieved the required score for.

I'm in my second year of studying a Law/Politics double degree, which I essentially chose because a) I was pretty good at English, and b) I didn't know what else to do . Luckily, I'm actually quite enjoying it so far.

 

Research the school. In the U.S, or least in califorina, Each school is better at one thing than the next.

For example if you wanted to major in health or medicine, UCLA would be a very good choice versus say..UC Berkley or USC. Why? They simply have a much superior Health and medicine program (Also, they own a fucking hospital where students do hands on stuff with real patients. )

But say you wanted to go to a school with a great education program, you would apply to whatever school that had programs specializing in them. There are also State colleges.

All in all, Just look up some college's and see what they have to offer. Don't forget that there are also Private college's. Private college's either like you or they don't, and that's admissions pretty much. Private college's imo, look to see if they can teach you and with a high chance of getting into work + a job.

 

I'm 21. I've been trying to get into college since like 17-18 but things keep comming up. I also hate the goddamn fafsa it's damn confusing.

 

If you are coming into a new state, know the area you are going to. What is the weather like, the type of town it is in (college town, major city, etc), the transportation system around there, and what else is within the local.

You want to enjoy the experience not just for the education, but also the life experience. Perhaps something outside of school you might get involved with or, the school might be very interconnected, which can lead to things post school.

As far as schools go, all colleges pretty much do well in the US. Our K to 12 is pretty lousy nationally (when generalizing), but our colleges are pretty damn good if you want to learn.

As for California, basically all their state schools UC/CSU systems, and a few private ones are all solid. We suck in k to 12, but are one of the best in the nation in the college level. Depending where you go in California, you can get very different experiences. And what's nice is most of them are good at a variety of things, so it does help if you go in undecided. However, some are better than others, so if you have the slightest idea of something in a broad field, you might want to focus more on those.

Keep in mind, that it will be easier to get a job in the state which you have your education. So plan wisely when deciding where you want to go also. Usually the colleges have great career centers that help you get hooked up locally. This is especially the case with a USC or UCLA for example if you were thinking about the LA area.

I pretty much got my job because of a college career fair (even before I graduated). Definitely an underrated/underused aspect of schools.

Keep in mind that if you don't reach the University of your dreams since you had some lower grades or scores in high school that you can still attend the bigger ones. Going to a two year college can help get you into one of those schools. Some have very high transfer rates (obviously you want to go to that 2 year within the same state of that college or it'll be tougher to transfer). It'll also save you money on education.

Also, there is a lot of money out there for the taking. There are so many scholarship/grants/and even low interest loans, that if you work a little, you can end up getting a good education without having to worry about high costs killing you. College Center and places like Fast Web provide good opportunities for things like that.

And then the last thing, try to get involved early. If there is something you like, try to find a way to intern/help at a place. Those type of things stand out on the college applications especially if you are applying to popular majors.

 

The pressure to do so well in life, is overrated. You can go to TAFE (like college but different) and get the same degree there, in fewer time and it's less expensive considering the university costs. And TAFE is basically in every town nowadays, so there's no need to move to another town for it (or unless its the only TAFE that offers the course that you are wanting to do like my sister did). Even if you don't get your Yr 12 exam/a university admittance score (UAI) you can still do TAFE or failing that, go get an apprenticeship.

Yes I admit, I'm a uni flunkout, but at least I tried and it wasn't the course of life for me, so I've moved back in with my father and working part-time. I'm hoping when next years TAFE enrolments come around I can start doing hairdressing and end up with an apprenticeship.

 

Doing well in life is overrated? Alrighty then.

(I'll probably get yelled at for this now, but whatever. )

 

You know what I mean. Get into university, get a degree, get a job, do this, do that. I've got a job and hell, the only expectation I'm living up to is not of my parent's but of myself. I've done it the other way around and god, that fucked me up.

Well. That's my opinion really. It's something similiar to what my brother in law to said to me (he's a pyschologist btw).

Why does someone who builds the houses for people like me to live in, who get paid twice as much and work less days, get paid lesser and work more days to whom he's building the house to?

 

The thing is, college isn't for everybody. Some people do it easily, others don't. Add that to the fact that most people can't even afford to go to school, and you've got a problem.

I went to school and couldn't hack it, but I'm trying to go back. I'm actually researching scholarships and stuff this time, because that could help me in the long run.

 

There are so many courses you can only do at university. High level science, medicine, law, politics, secondary education, the list goes on. So no, you can't get the same degree in fewer time and for less cost, because they don't do the courses. Universities are highly regarded for a reason.

 

I don't know how it works over in Australia but most full-time jobs that would pay a decent wage in the US won't even consider you if you don't have a degree. Measure that up next to how high unemployment is getting right now and you have a lot of people fighting for jobs. If the guy next to you has better credentials, good luck. Yes, College is not for everyone. I know this because I personally am not doing well in college but I know it's not "overrated" trying to get a degree.

 

This whole topic reminds me of how a former PM of Australia said "Uni degrees aren't worth the paper they are written on". I don't know who said it, but himself didn't have a university degree. How's that for a good-paying job?

 

Good pay, yes, but the highest paid people in the world (i.e. businessmen) all have university degrees. Plus I'd wager that Prime Minister was in office a number of decades ago.

 

I think it was Bob Hawke, pretty sure it was off the top of my head.

 

To be honest I'm not surprised it was him. So there you go, that was in the 1970's, I'd definitely say things have changed now. The main reason people over here can get high paying jobs without university degrees is because they're in the trades and that's being helped by the mining boom in WA. It hasn't/won't always be like this.

 

Bob Hawke had a Bachelor of Letters at the University of Oxford.

 

Do certificates in something count?

Edit: There you go Daniel, so it wasn't Bob Hawke after all.

 

I was actually going to Google it, but I was too lazy . Looks like it was Paul Keating after a touch of research, which actually does surprise me. He rose through the Labor party thanks to starting off in the unions and such. I think my point still stands though.

Certificates may count as something like "higher learning", but even those can only get you so far.